as in afraid
having or showing a shameful lack of courage
the pacifist was mistakenly accused of being a lily-livered coward
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Recent Examples of lily-livered
Contrary to the nationalist account, resistance has not generally been the result of America’s leaders being weak-kneed and lily-livered.
—
Ronald R. Krebs, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2017
Ronald R. Krebs, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lily-livered
Adjective
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Suspect's family detained: Wife, 5 children deportation Jewish community on edge: Amid ongoing attacks, Jewish people are afraid.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
5 June 2025
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On the experimental end, the label isn’t afraid to push boundaries, as evidenced by Magnificent Little Dudes, a captivating collaboration between Japanese ambient artist Chihei Hatakeyama and jazz drummer Shun Ishiwaka.—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Some also have lost lawyers, dismayed by the pusillanimous behavior of their leaders.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
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The second believed the United States could attain comprehensive security through military-technological means and saw diplomacy as a quixotic or pusillanimous enterprise that dishonored and weakened the country.—
A. Wess Mitchell,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Those who resort to violence to undermine our state and nation must be held accountable, and our state leaders must reinforce through decisive action that these cowardly attacks will not be tolerated.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2025
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The cowardly capitulation of Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps are negative examples to be learned from.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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To abet Trump’s fake reality, the craven House Republicans refused to put up a plaque honoring the police officers and others who defended the Capitol that awful day.—
Maureen Dowd,
Mercury News,
4 June 2025
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This year’s retreat from DEI policies is merely a continuation of that craven approach.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Horses are naturally skittish animals that can easily become frightened and bolt.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
27 May 2025
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Footage from the immediate aftermath captured mothers and fathers clutching children on their hips, running through the mist of water dousing the flames, while frightened dogs scrambled alongside them.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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This is because her spineless boyfriend was with her on that bus and plane and sat 2 rows away.—
Moná Thomas,
People.com,
27 May 2025
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Matt and his direct reports quickly reveal themselves to be spineless, self-important, thin-skinned, and out of touch.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Adjective
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While gold is a popular choice when investors are scared, other alternatives such as infrastructure and real estate offer similar protection.—
Eric Satz,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
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Plus, hearing from the new owners, those dogs have also been scared and skittish around humans.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Two baseballs flew down toward the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar from the left-field corner stands, the gutless moves of two cowards.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Oct. 2024
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And the really jaw-dropping part of AMLO’s gutless abdication?—
Tim Padgett,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Aug. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Lily-livered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lily-livered. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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